Variably openable radiator cowling, shroud, or fairing for over the road vehicles and the like

ABSTRACT

A cowling assembly ( 10 ) is installed about the radiator (R) of a vehicle (V). A frame ( 12 ) fits about the radiator and defines an opening through which air can flow into the radiator. The frame has a contour that allows air flow smoothly about the frame. A cover including a panel ( 18 ) or a coiled sheet ( 118 ) is movable through the frame to cover the opening. A motor ( 50 ) operated by a controller ( 80 ) moves the panels or sheets to expose a portion of the opening and allow air to flow into the radiator. The frame and the panel or sheet facilitate smoother air flow over and about the front of the vehicle thereby reducing the amount of drag on it while still allowing air flow into the radiator.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to, and claims priority from,Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/567,258 filed on Dec. 6,2011 which is herein incorporated by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

N/A

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to reducing drag in over-the-road vehicles(including trucks and passenger car) to make them more fuel efficient;and, more particularly, to a cowling, shroud, or fairing (collectively,a cowling) which is installed over the radiator of the vehicle toimprove the vehicle's aerodynamic characteristics.

It is well known that over the road trucks, semis and the like, have lowfuel efficiency. Typically, these tractor trailer vehicles attain aboutfive to seven miles per gallon (5-7 mpg) when traveling at highwayspeeds of, for example, 50-70 miles per hour (mph). One reason for thisis the aerodynamic characteristics of these vehicles and their highcoefficient of drag. A number of attempts have been made to improve theaerodynamics of these vehicles in order to improve gas mileage. Fairingswith curved surfaces have been mounted on top the vehicle's cab tocreate a smoother air flow over the top of the vehicle. Other deviceshave also been installed on the vehicles for this purpose.

However, a major contributor to the vehicle's drag is the blunt frontend of the truck where the radiator is located. The radiator, which isgenerally rectangular in shape, extends vertically from an area adjacentthe truck's from bumper to the top of its hood. It also extendshorizontally across a good portion of the front end of the track. As thetruck moves over the road, air strikes the radiator and is forced eitherover or under the top and bottom of the radiator, and about it sides.This, in turn, creates a drag which significantly impacts the trucksforward movement and increases its fuel consumption.

With regard to the above described problem, it is known to use spoilersor air dams to help reduce drag. However, these are typically staticdevices which provide a limited amount of help in reducing drag.Further, these devices are specific to the particular vehicle on whichthey are installed. It would be valuable and advantageous to have astructure (cowling, fairing, shroud, air dam or the like) as eitheroriginal equipment (OE) or as a retrofit which is adjustable so toreduce the drag encountered in a variety of situations and in which,even if only one particular design is usable on a particular vehicle,its operation can be adjusted to accommodate any differences betweenvehicles of the same type.

While passenger cars and similar vehicles do not create the same amountof drag as trucks when they travel at highway speeds, use of a cowlingof the present invention on them will also improve their fuelefficiency.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a cowling which is installed over atruck's radiator either as original equipment, or as a retrofit. Thecowling, when installed, has a curved outer surface which promotesaerodynamic airflow over, under, and about the sides of the cowling soto significantly reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency.

The cowling includes a frame installed about the sides of the radiator.Sheets, coils, or panels, or a combination of these elements and theirassociated structure, are either mounted in the frame, or areincorporated in the grill or hood of the vehicle. Regardless of whichconstruction is used, the resulting size and shape produces anaerodynamic configuration which reduces drag and promotes improvedvehicle fuel economy. Electric motors such as stepper or gear motors areused to move the various components either vertically or horizontallywith respect to the radiator, depending upon the radiator design, so toexpose the radiator to air. This allows airflow through the radiator(and about the engine) so to draw heat away from it; while, at the sametime, improving the drag characteristics of the vehicle and increasingits fuel efficiency.

The cowling further includes heat flow paths by which a heated fluidfrom the radiator flows through the cowling so to prevent it fromfreezing up during cold, sleet, ice and snow conditions. In otherembodiments of the invention, a heating system is employed with theelements, or tracks in which they move, so to create sufficient heat toprevent freeze up of the system in icy or freezing conditions.Alternately, these components are coated with a thermal film for thesame purpose.

Movement of the sheets, coils, or panels is controlled by a controllerprogrammed for the vehicle on which the cowling is installed. Thecontroller, which is either stand-alone or is incorporated into anelectronic control module (ECM) of the vehicle, receives as inputs theoutputs of sensors monitoring the temperature of the various enginefluids, radiator fluid temperature, the ambient temperature of outsideair, and other parameters, so to control the opening and degree ofopening of the sheets, coils, or panels.

The cowling assembly is relatively lightweight and the parts are made ofa rugged, molded plastic material or a shaped metal. The cowling is easyto install, remove, and service. The cowling is relatively low cost andhas a useful life of 6-9 years. When in use, the cowling restores asignificant amount of horsepower otherwise wasted by vehicles ascurrently configured and realizes substantial (e.g., an estimated$1.5B-4.0B) annual fuel savings because of the reduction in dragaffected by the cowling if, for example, the entire current fleet oftrucks were outfitted.

Various embodiments of the invention, as noted, employ coiled sheets ofmaterial, panels, and combinations thereof. Also as noted, the sheets orpanels, is oriented either to move across the front of the radiator fromside-to-side, or up and down. In this latter embodiment, a coiled sheetis drawn down from the top of the hood of the vehicle; or, alternately,up from the vehicle's front bumper. In still another embodiment, thetrack over which the panels or sheet moves is integrally formed with thehood of the vehicle. In a further embodiment, the panel or sheets slideunder the front bumper of the vehicle; or, they duct up into theradiator assembly.

Alternately, the invention employs an adjustable structure for reducingthe amount of air flowing underneath a vehicle so to reduce aerodynamiclift and drag. The structures installed on similar type vehicles areadjustable to take into account any differences between the vehicles.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that variations of the cowlinginstalled on passenger cars will achieve similar advantageous resultsfor these vehicles.

Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointedout hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects of the invention are achieved as set forth in theillustrative embodiments shown in the drawings which form a part of thespecification.

FIG. 1 is a simplified representation of an over-the-vehicleillustrating current structures used to improve the aerodynamics of thevehicle;

FIGS. 2A-2D are respective perspective, front, top, and side views of afirst embodiment of the invention in which panels move vertically;

FIG. 3A is an exploded view illustrating one embodiment of a cowlingassembly of the present invention for installation with the hood of atruck, FIG. 3B is an installed view of the cowling assembly of FIG. 3Ain a partially open position, and FIG. 3C illustrates a fully openposition of the cowling assembly;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the cowling assembly in a substantiallyclosed position, FIG. 4B is a side view of the cowling assembly in itsFIG. 4A position and FIG. 4C is a sectional view of the assembly in thisposition, and FIG. 4D is a view similar to FIG. 4A with the cowlingassembly in a more open position;

FIGS. 5A-5E illustrate a second embodiment of the invention employingtracks over which a panel is moved;

FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate various degrees of opening of a radiator to airflow by operation of the second embodiment;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are respective perspective and elevation views of atrack used in the second embodiment of the cowling assembly;

FIGS. 8A and 8C illustrate a drive mechanism for use with the firstembodiment of the cowling assembly;

FIGS. 9A-9C illustrate a drive mechanism for use with the secondembodiment of the assembly;

FIGS. 10A-10C illustrate another embodiment of the drive mechanism foruse with the second embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate still another embodiment of the drivemechanism for use with the second embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 12-14 are sectional views of the cowling assembly illustratingdifferent mechanical connections with a panel to move the panel over theradiator;

FIGS. 15A-15C are block diagrams of control systems for operating thepanel drive mechanism;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view, partly broken away of a panel used in thecowling assembly;

FIG. 17 illustrates a plurality of interconnected panels;

FIG. 18A is a perspective view illustrating how the panels are connectedtogether and FIG. 18B is side view of the interconnected panels;

FIG. 19A is an elevation view of a shear pin used to interconnect thepanels and FIG. 19B is a sectional view of the pin taken along line A-Ain FIG. 19A;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a sheet (partly broken away) used inthe cowling assembly, the sheet having heating wires for deicing thesheet in cold weather conditions;

FIG. 21 illustrates the sheet in a coiled configuration;

FIG. 22 is a plan view of the sheet illustrating a heat blade extendingacross the front end thereof;

FIG. 23A is a sectional view of a roller on which the sheet is mountedand FIG. 23B is an end view of the roller with a coil spring installedfor rewinding the sheet in event of motor failure;

FIGS. 24A-24E are sectional views of the front of a passenger vehicleillustrating installation of coiled sheets behind a front bumper of anautomotive vehicle;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the cowlingassembly for controlling air flow to the radiator of the vehicle;

FIG. 26A is a perspective view of a 4-track cowling and FIG. 26B is afront view of the cowling; and,

FIGS. 27A-27C are respective views of the assembly with the air passagesopen (FIG. 27A), partially closed (FIG. 27B), and top plan view (FIG.27C) of the assembly in its partially closed configuration.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, an over-the-road vehicle V comprises a truckK towing a trailer T. As is known in the art, because of the size andshape of the truck and trailer, flow of air over and about the vehiclecreates a drag which has to be overcome as the vehicle moves over aroadway; and this, in turn, reduces the vehicle's fuel efficiency. In aneffort to reduce drag, a fairing such as the exemplary fairing F shownin FIG. 1 is installed atop the truck's cab. As previously discussed, aradiator R installed on the front of the truck, under its hood H andbehind its front bumper B, creates significant drag, and heretofore, nosignificant attempts have been made to improve the aerodynamics of theairflow about the radiator. Radiator R typically presents a generallyflat rectangular shaped surface against which the air buffets andcreates the drag.

Referring to FIGS. 2A-2D, a cowling assembly 10 is for a radiator whichis generally taller than it is wide. As described herein, cowlingassembly 10 is integrally formed with a hood H of truck K, or thecowling is attached or retro-fitted to the hood. Cowling 10 firstincludes a frame 12 which fits about the top and sides of the radiatorso to install the cowling in place. Frame 12 is preferably of a moldedlightweight plastic, single piece construction; although, it can be madeof a lightweight metal. As shown in FIG. 2A, the frame comprises upperand lower horizontal segments 13 a and 13 b, and vertical side sectionsor sidewalls 13 c and 13 d. When installed, frame 12 defines an openingthrough which air can flow into the radiator.

Mounted in frame 12 are a series of panels 14 a-14 d which are made of aplastic or lightweight metal. It will be understood that there could bemore, or fewer, panels than are shown throughout the drawings. Thepanels are inserted in frame 12 through tracks (not shown) which areformed in the interior walls of frame sections 13 c, 13 d. The tracksmay be heated tracks. The panels define air flow passages or air tunnelsP for air directed through cowling assembly 10 to radiator R. Each panelis generally rectangular in shape and sufficiently sturdy that its shapeis not distorted when the vehicle is moving at highway speeds; and, thesides or tips of the panels are sufficiently rigid that they do not bowor flex out of the tracks in which they are installed. Each panel mayalso have a rigid outer tip end (not shown) installed on it to preventflexure.

As shown in FIG. 2A, while each panel is of the same width, the depth ofthe panels varies. That is panel 14 a is the narrowest in depth andpanel 14 d the greatest. Panels 14 b and 14 c have widths intermediatethose of these other two panels.

Referring to FIGS. 2C and 3A-3C, cowling assembly 10 is shown inrelation to the front end of truck K, hood H, and radiator R. As shownin the drawings, the cowling assembly is attached or mounted to thefront of the hood so that frame 12 of the assembly covers radiator R. Asheet or flexible cover panel 18, hereafter cover panel or cover, ismovable by a drive mechanism 20, as described below, over the front ofthe radiator to block or unblock the air flow passages P defined by thepanels 14 a-14 d and frame 12. This is as shown in FIG. 3B in whichcover panel 18 is moved to substantially block all air flow to theradiator. FIG. 3C illustrates the operating condition in which coverpanel 18 is substantially withdrawn from the front of assembly 10 forthe passages P to allow significant air flow to the radiator. Asdiscussed hereafter, a curved track 17 (see FIGS. 12-14, 26A and 26B) isformed on the inner wall of each frame section 13 c, 13 d to capture theouter margin of the cover panel or sheet and guide its movement back andforth. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that track 17may be heated to insure smooth and free movement of a cover panel orsheet over the front of the radiator in cold and icy conditions. Noguide track 17 is, however, required if cover panel 18 has a slightlycurved contour and is relatively rigid in construction.

Referring to FIGS. 16-19B, cowling assembly 10 may employ a series ofcover panels 18 interconnected as shown in the drawings. In FIG. 16, thecover is shown to be made from a sheet of lightweight plastic materialhaving a honeycomb construction. Cells 18 a of the sheet are hollowcells. The cells provide strength and durability and promote alightweight construction. It will be appreciated by those skilled in theart that the panel may be coated with a thin film of material to, forexample, effect heating of the panel, or to protect the panel fromdegradation due to exposure to sunlight or various pollutants.

In FIG. 17, three cover panels 18 are shown to be interconnected for usewith the cowling assembly. Again it will be understood that cowlingassembly 10 may employ more or fewer panels depending upon theparticular vehicle installation. As shown in the drawings, when morethan one cover panel 18 is to be joined together, the abutting edges ofthe panels are appropriately beveled as indicated at 18 b and 18 c.Interconnection of the panels is achieved using a plurality of shearpins SP which are inserted through holes 18 d formed in the respectiveabutting ends of the panels. Referring to FIGS. 19A and 19B, a shear pinSP is shown to have generally cylindrical shape with sections SPa andSPb at each end which are greater in diameter than the center sectionSPc of the pin.

FIGS. 4A-4D respectively illustrate cowling assembly 10 from differentperspectives when the assembly is in a position similar to that shown inFIG. 3B. As shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D, a toothed gear 26 of drivemechanism 20 extends through an opening O in the top of hood H. Adjacenteach side of sheet 18 forming a cover panel are a series ofequidistantly spaced holes 19 by which toothed gears 26 of drivemechanism 20 move cover panel 18 back and forth over the front ofcowling assembly 10 and radiator R. The gears are mounted beneath hood Hand extend through the openings O in the top of the hood for teeth 26 tof each gear to engage the holes along the respective sides of the coverpanel.

Inwardly from each respective series of spaced holes 19 is an aperture32. The hook end 34 of a constant tension spring assembly 36 is fittedinto each aperture 32. The tension spring assembly provides a “failsafe” in the event of failure of drive mechanism 20 so to return coverpanel 18 to its fully withdrawn position in which radiator R iscompletely open to air flow. The spring assembly is installed beneathhood H and the spring elements project through openings 38 in the top ofthe hood. A mounting base 40 for assembly 36 is shown in FIG. 4C.

FIGS. 5A-5E and 6A-6C illustrate a second embodiment 100 of the cowlingassembly. Assembly 100 has the same basic construction features asdescribed above with respect to assembly 10. Now, however, assembly 100includes a set of tracks 28 a, 28 b which extend longitudinally of hoodH, parallel to each other along opposite sides of the hood. The tracks28 a, 28 b interconnect with the tracks 17 formed in frame 12 for coverpanel 18 to further be drawn back and forth over both sets of tracks,particularly as shown in FIGS. 6A-6C to open the front of radiator R toair flow. Again adjacent each side of cover panel 18 are a series ofequidistantly spaced holes 19 which are engaged by toothed gears 26 ofdrive mechanism 20 to move cover panel 18 back and forth over the frontof cowling assembly 10 and radiator R. In this regard, FIGS. 6A-6Crespectively illustrate approximate 30%, 50%, and 70% openings ofradiator R.

Tracks 28 a, 28 b are better shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Each track has ahorizontal flange 130 which abuts against the roof of hood H when therail is mounted in place. A vertically extending flange 132 depends fromthe base of flange 130 and extends through an opening (not shown) in thetop of the hood to mount a rail to the hood. Flange 132 has a hole 134for connecting parts of drive mechanism 20 to the rail as will bedescribed. Spaced holes 136 are formed on the inner section of flange130 for mounting attachments (screws, bolts, etc.) to be fitted in placeto attach the track to the hood. Each rail has a vertical section 140projecting above the top of the hood, and a generally rectangular shapedrace or track 142 is formed in an inner face 144 of section 140. Theouter ends of cover panels 18 are received in the tracks which serve asguides for movement of the panels through the track.

Referring to FIGS. 8A-8C, 9A-9C, and 10A-10C, a drive mechanism 20 isfor use with the first embodiment 10 of the cowling assembly and a drivemechanism 20′ for use with second embodiment 100 of the assembly. Indrive mechanism 20, a tooth 26 t of respective toothed gears 26 engagesholes 19 along the respective sides of panel 18. The gears 26 arebi-directionally driven by respective motors 50. To accomplish this,each motor 50 is connected to a pulley 54 by a drive shaft 56 to rotatethe pulley in the appropriate direction. Pulley 54, in turn, isconnected to a pulley 58 by a belt 52. Gear 26 and pulley 58 arecommonly mounted on a shaft 60.

For cowling assembly 100, drive mechanism 20′ has one end of each shaft60 installed in the opening 134 in vertical flange 132 of the respectivetracks 28 a, 28 b so to mount the entire assembly in place. A sensor 51installed on each motor provides control information to a controller forthe assembly as will be described.

In FIGS. 11A-11B, a third embodiment 20″ of the drive mechanism is alsofor use with embodiment 100 of the cowling assembly. Now, a motor 50′drives both toothed gears 26. Each gear is mounted to one end of a driveshaft 66 whose other end is connected to the motor. As shown in thedrawings, motor 50′ is mounted midway between the rails 28 a, 28 b.

FIGS. 12-14 illustrate three alternate ways in which a cover panel 18 ofcowling assembly 10 can be moved over and away from the front ofradiator R. In the embodiment of FIG. 12, a wire 70 is attached to thefront end of the cover panel. One end of wire 70 is connected to abracket 72 which extends across the front of the panel (see FIG. 18B).The wire extends through track 17 and winds around a spool 74. The otherend of the wire then connects to motor 50.

In the embodiment of FIG. 13, wire 70 is attached to the rear of cover18. The wire then extends, not through track 17, but rather below thepanel, around spool 74 which is now attached to the inner face of theframe sections 13 c, 13 d. The other end of the wire is again connectedto motor 50.

In the embodiment of FIG. 14, a rod 76 is disposed in a pneumatic orhydraulic cylinder 78. The outer end of the rod attached to the frontend of cover panel 18. When a vacuum is applied to cylinder 78, rod 76is drawn into the cylinder pulling cover 18 forward along track 17. Whenthe vacuum is released, the rod, which is spring loaded, extends outfrom the cylinder, causing the panel to be pushed back along track 17.

Referring to FIGS. 15A-15C, a controller 80 of the invention controlsoperation of the cowling and its panels using a microprocessor (μP) 82which can be incorporated into the electronic control module (ECM) 84 ofthe vehicle or can be a standalone processor. As is known in the art,motor 50 is a bi-directional DC motor which is supplied power from thevehicle's battery BATT through a solenoid switch 86 whose operation iscontrolled by an output from the microprocessor. A variety of inputs aresupplied to microprocessor 82 from sensors installed on or about thevehicle. These include, but are not limited to, the ambient airtemperature, vehicle speed, and position sensors that indicate thedegree of coverage of the radiator by the panels. The microprocessor isprogrammed to utilize this information to determine a) if the radiatorshould be covered; and b) if so, how much of it should be covered. Ifthe conditions are such that there should be coverage, then an output issupplied from the microprocessor to solenoid 86 so DC voltage issupplied to motor 50 to drive the motor in the appropriate direction tomove or adjust the panel(s) to affect the desired amount of radiatorcoverage. Sensors 88, 90 installed on or about the cowling provideinformation to the microprocessor as to the position of the panels forthe microprocessor to stop motor 50 when the panel is in position. Onesensor indicates when the panel has reached its farthest extendedposition and the other sensor its fully retracted position. As noted,the encoders 51 on each motor also provide exact position information.

Besides the cover panels 18 previously described, cowling assemblies 10and 100 can also employ a sheet of material for covering the radiator.Referring to FIG. 20, a sheet 118 comprises a thin sheet of material.Preferably embodied in the sheet are electrically conductive wires 120which allow the sheet to be heated in cold weather conditions. Thismakes it easier to operate the assembly in snow, sleet, and icyconditions. Further in this regard, and as shown in FIG. 22, a heatedstrip 121 extends across the front of sheet 118.

Extending from one end of sheet 118 is a coiled strip 122. As shown inFIG. 21, strip 122 facilitates installation of sheet 118 on a roller 124from which it is unwound when radiator R is be covered, and rewound whenthe radiator is to be uncovered. The coiled end of strip 122 is receivedon a round hub 126 which projects outwardly from an outer end of theroller.

Referring to FIGS. 23A and 23B, FIG. 23A shows sheet 118 as installed onthe roller, which has a spiral shaped shaft 127 used to rotate theroller when it is driven by motor 50 in one direction or the other. FIG.23B shows a coil spring 128 which is used to bias roller 124 to itssheet 188 retracted position. The spring provides for fail-safeoperation in the event of motor failure since the spring would rewindthe sheet on the roller.

Next, FIG. 25 represents another embodiment of the invention. Here, acowling assembly 300 includes a frame 312 having top, bottom, and sidemembers 312 a-312 d, bottom frame member 312 b not being shown in thedrawing. Assembly 300 includes interconnecting horizontal and verticalpanels 314 a-314 g and 316 a-316 g respectively. These intersectingpanels form cells of different sizes with each cell defining an air flowpassage P for directing air to radiator R.

FIGS. 26A and 26B illustrate an embodiment 500 of the invention which isa variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 25. Cowling assembly 500includes a frame 512 having top, bottom, and side members 512 a-512 d.Assembly 500 includes interconnecting horizontal and vertical panels 514a 1-514 c 3 and 516 a, 516 b respectively. These intersecting panelsagain form cells of different sizes and define air flow passages P fordirecting air to radiator R. Running along the inside of each sidewallor vertical panel is a track 17 for guiding movement of a cover panel 18or coiled sheet. As shown in FIGS. 27A-27C, assembly 500 utilizes threesets of cover panels 518 which are respectively movable along pathsdefined by tracks 528 a-528 d constructed in the same manner as thepreviously described tracks 28 a, 28 b. Each cover panel 518 has sets ofopenings 19 formed along each longitudinal edge, these openings beingengaged by teeth is a toothed gear 526 which is similar to the gear 26previously described and driven in the same manner. Inwardly from eachrespective series of spaced holes 19 is an aperture 572 in which thehook end 574 of a constant tension spring assembly 576 is fitted. Asearlier described with respect to tension spring assembly 36, tensionspring assembly 576 provides a fail-safe in the event of failure of thedrive mechanism by which the cover panels 518 are moved, so to return acover panel to its fully withdrawn position.

As previously noted, the cowling assembly of the present invention canbe used on passenger vehicles as well as trucks. FIGS. 24A-24Eillustrate different configurations of a cowling assembly 400 for thispurpose. The drawings each show a sectional view of the front end of apassenger car PC which includes a radiator R installed behind a frontgrill, of indicated generally FG, of the vehicle and which includes amanufacturer's emblem E. The front grill, besides extending generallyacross the front of the car, also extends from the hood HD of thevehicle, to the front bumper FB of the vehicle, and below the bumper toa lower cross member CM which extends across the front of the carbeneath the radiator.

As shown in FIG. 24A, control of air flow to radiator R through grill FGis accomplished by moving a pair of cover panels 18U and 18L over thefront grill. Panel 18U is an upper panel which is drawn down from theunderside of hood HD over the front grill. Panel 18L is a lower panelwhich is drawn up over cross member CM toward front bumper FB along thelower extension of the grill. Upper and lower tracks 402 and 404 arerespectively installed beneath the hood and over the cross member toguide movement of the panels. It will be understood by those skilled inthe art that while the panels 18U and 18L extend over one side of thegrill assembly FG, they could alternately be installed so to move overthe other side of the assembly. Further, it will be appreciated thatbecause of the construction of the grill assembly and components (e.g.,headlight assemblies, etc.) installed adjacent or about the grill thatthe panels may be deformed or distorted as they move along their pathsover the front of radiator R. This is also so as respect the otherconstructions described hereafter.

As described with respect to FIGS. 24D-24E, the panels for coveringradiator R also include coiled sheets 118 wound on rollers 124. As withthe panels, the coiled sheets are fitted beneath hood HD, and in anundercarriage panel adjacent cross member CM, as well as in the area ofbumper FB.

In the embodiment of cowling assembly 400 shown in FIG. 24B, a lowercoiled sheet 118L is unwound from a motor driven spool roller 124 tomove the sheet over the underside of the grill toward bumper FB. At thesame time, a panel 18U is movable through track 402 to cover the upperportion of the grill.

In FIG. 24C, coiled sheet 418L is unwound from roller 124 which isinstalled beneath hood HD; while, lower coiled sheet 118L is unwoundfrom its roller and moves as previously described.

In FIG. 24D, coiled sheet 118U is unwound as described in FIG. 23C;while, lower sheet 118L is unwound from a roller now placed behind frontbumper FB and so moves in the opposite direction to that previouslydescribed.

Lastly, in the simplified representation of FIG. 24E both spools 124 forthe respective sheets 118U and 118L are installed behind the frontbumper.

What has been described is a cowling assembly which can be installed ona truck or passenger vehicle either as original equipment, or as aretrofit. The cowling, when installed, produces an aerodynamic airflowover, under, and about the sides of the vehicle to significantly reducedrag and improve fuel efficiency. Various embodiments of the assemblyemploy sheets, coils, or panels mounted in the frame or incorporated inthe grill or hood of the vehicle. Regardless of the construction, theresult is an aerodynamic configuration which reduces drag and promotesfuel economy.

The cowling is heated so to prevent freeze up during cold, sleet, iceand snow conditions.

Movement of the sheets, coils, or panels is controlled by a controllerprogrammed for the vehicle on which the cowling is installed. Thecontroller is either stand-alone or is incorporated into the ECM of thevehicle.

The cowling assembly is relatively lightweight, and is easy to install,remove, and service. The cowling is relatively low cost and has a longlife. In use, the cowling restores a significant amount of horsepowerotherwise wasted by vehicles as currently configured and helps realizesubstantial annual fuel savings particularly for fleet of trucks. Thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that a cowling installed on apassenger car will achieve similar advantageous results.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A fairing air inlet assembly to reduce dragon a vehicle having a radiator with a front comprising: a) a framehaving a front and a back, wherein the frame has a pair of approximatelyhorizontal segments and a pair of approximately vertical segmentsforming an interior, wherein one of the pair of segments has a pair ofcurved tracks on the interior near the front of the frame; b) at leastone air tunnel in the interior of the frame; c) a cover having parallelsides; wherein the sides are moveably engaged with the pair of curvedtracks; d) a drive mechanism to move the cover from an unblockedposition to a blocked position and back; wherein the back of the frameis mounted adjacent to the radiator; wherein the at least one air tunnelis in front of and approximately perpendicular to the radiator front anddefines an opening through which air can flow into the radiator; whereinthe at least one air tunnel is further defined by at least one panel;wherein the at least one panel is generally rectangular and has sides,an outer tip end, width and depth; and wherein the at least one panel isfixedly mounted on its sides in the interior of the frame; wherein thedepth of the panel is sufficient to bring the at least one panelproximate to the front of the radiator; wherein the front tip endapproximately aligns with the cover in the blocked position; wherein thecover in the blocked position blocks airflow into the air tunnel towardthe radiator and in the unblocked position allows airflow into the airtunnel and into the radiator; wherein the cover in the blocked positionconforms to the curved shape of the track; wherein the curved shapereduces drag on the vehicle; and wherein the cover is one continuouspiece.
 2. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 1 further including aplurality of panels mounted in the frame at spaced intervals so todefine a plurality of air flow passages to the radiator.
 3. The fairingair inlet assembly of claim 1 the cover is moveable back and forth onthe curved tracks to control the amount of air flow through the passageto the radiator.
 4. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 1 in whichthe cover comprises a lightweight, flexible cover, wherein the cover hasa series of spaced openings are formed adjacent each side of the coverand the drive mechanism includes a motor driven toothed gear whose teethengage the openings to move the cover back and forth along the tracks.5. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 4 wherein the frame has atleast one curved segment.
 6. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 4further including a parallel set of tracks extending along a hoodinstalled over an engine compartment of the vehicle, the cover beingdrawn over the tracks by the drive mechanism, said set of tracksinterconnecting with the curved tracks formed in the frame.
 7. Thefairing air inlet assembly of claim 6 wherein the panel mounted in theframe is an approximately horizontal panel that extends approximatelyhorizontally across the front of the radiator, and wherein the fairingair inlet assembly further includes at least one approximately verticalpanel located intermediate the sides of the frame, the approximatelyhorizontal and approximately vertical panel defining tunnels throughwhich air flows to the radiator.
 8. The fairing air inlet assembly ofclaim 7 wherein at least one of the panels is curved.
 9. The fairing airinlet assembly of claim 7 further including curved tracks formed alongeach sidewall of the vertical panel through which a cover moves.
 10. Thefairing air inlet assembly of claim 9 further including a plurality ofparallel sets of tracks extending along a hood installed over an enginecompartment of the vehicle, each said set of tracks interconnecting withthe curved tracks formed in the frame, and a separate cover panel beingdrawn over each set of tracks in on the hood and frame by the drivemechanism.
 11. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 4 furtherincluding sensors monitoring the radiator fluid temperature, wherein thesensors output data to a controller which in turn activate the drivemechanism.
 12. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 11 in which thecover comprises at least one sheet of material wound on a spool and thedrive mechanism winds and unwinds the sheet from the spool; wherein thesheet, when unwound, covers at least a portion of the radiator.
 13. Thefairing air inlet assembly of claim 12 further including a plurality ofsheets which is wound on a plurality of spools and when unwound coversat least a portion of the radiator.
 14. The fairing air inlet assemblyof claim 1 in which the tracks are heated so to facilitate movement ofthe cover over the tracks during freezing conditions.
 15. A fairing airinlet assembly to reduce drag on a vehicle having a radiator comprising:a) a frame having a front and a back, wherein the frame has a pair ofapproximately horizontal segments and a pair of approximately verticalsegments forming an interior, wherein one of the pair of segments has apair of curved tracks on the interior near the front of the frame; b) aplurality of air tunnels in the interior of the frame; c) a cover havingparallel sides; wherein the sides are moveably engaged with the twocurved tracks; d) a drive mechanism to move the cover from an unblockedposition to a blocked position and back; wherein the back of the frameis mounted in front of, adjacent to and about the radiator; wherein theair tunnels are approximately perpendicular to the radiator front anddefine openings through which air can flow into the radiator; whereinthe air tunnels are further defined by a plurality of approximatelyhorizontal and approximately vertical panels; wherein the panels aregenerally rectangular and have sides, an outer tip end, width and depth;and wherein the panels are fixedly mounted on their sides in theinterior of the frame; wherein the depth of the panels is sufficient tobring the mounted panel proximate to the front of the radiator; whereinthe cover in the blocked position blocks airflow into the air tunneltoward the radiator and in the unblocked position allows airflow intothe radiator; wherein the cover in the blocked position conforms to thecurved shape of the track; and wherein the curved shape reduces drag onthe vehicle; wherein the cover is one continuous piece; and wherein thecover moves between the blocked and unblocked position, and multipleintermediate positions between the blocked and unblocked positions. 16.The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 15 wherein there are a pluralityof pairs of curved tracks on the interior of the frame and each pair ofcurved tracks has a cover moveably attached to the tracks.
 17. Thefairing air inlet assembly of claim 16, wherein the tracks moveapproximately horizontally.
 18. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim16, wherein the tracks move approximately vertically.
 19. A fairing airinlet assembly to reduce drag on a vehicle having a radiator comprising:a) a frame having a front and a back, wherein the frame has a pair ofapproximately horizontal segments and a pair of approximately verticalsegments forming an interior, wherein one of the pair of segments has apair of curved tracks on the interior near the front of the frame; b) aplurality of air tunnels in the interior of the frame; c) a cover havingparallel sides; wherein the sides are moveably engaged with the twocurved tracks; d) a drive mechanism to move the cover from an unblockedposition to a blocked position and back; wherein the back of the frameis mounted in front of, adjacent to and about the radiator; wherein theair tunnels are approximately perpendicular to the radiator front anddefine openings through which air can flow into the radiator; whereinthe air tunnels are further defined by a plurality of approximatelyhorizontal and approximately vertical panels; wherein the panels aregenerally rectangular and have sides, an outer tip end, width and depth;and wherein the panels are fixedly mounted on their sides in theinterior of the frame; wherein the depth of the panels is sufficient tobring the mounted panel proximate to the front of the radiator; whereinthe cover in the blocked position blocks airflow into the air tunneltoward the radiator and in the unblocked position allows airflow intothe radiator; wherein the cover in the blocked position conforms to thecurved shape of the track; and wherein the curved shape reduces drag onthe vehicle; wherein the cover is one continuous piece; wherein thecover moves between the blocked and unblocked position, and multipleintermediate positions between the blocked and unblocked positions; andwherein there are a plurality of pairs of curved tracks on the interiorof the frame and each pair of curved tracks has a cover moveablyattached to the tracks.
 20. The fairing air inlet assembly of claim 19further including sensors monitoring the ambient temperature, and airconditions, wherein the sensors output data to a controller which inturn activate the drive mechanism.